GOP leader disagrees with Pelosi, McConnell on WH testing offer

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Monday said he disagrees with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) decision to reject the Trump administration’s offer to provide rapid coronavirus testing.

McCarthy said having the White House’s help could get Congress safely back to work amid the pandemic. 

“I do disagree about the testing,” McCarthy said during a virtual interview with Politico.

He described the Capitol as a “mini city” and suggested the rapid tests would help lawmakers be prepared for new outbreaks of the virus.

McCarthy argued that rapid testing would help quarantine people who have contracted the virus but also allow committee hearings and votes to move forward. 

“I do not think it would be wrong to have one of the Abbott tests where you can have a quick response, especially if there was some type of outbreak you can quarantine those individuals you can test the others and you could have government keep working,” he said.

He also said he wanted to make sure the press were available to cover hearings and that the rapid tests could help.

“I would say that the interaction from the press, because the public is not able to be in these meetings, I want to make sure everybody is able to see them. So it’s even more critical about the press, I want to make sure they would be treated almost like members and be into those meetings, to be able to cover them as well, and they should be tested. That’s very doable and that’s less probably than 100 tests,” he said.

McConnell and Pelosi on Saturday released a statement declining the White House’s offer, saying they preferred that resources go “to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly.” 

McCarthy has been vocal in his calls for the House to be called back into session, making the case that lawmakers should be treated as essential workers. House Democratic leadership decided against bringing back members to Washington this week, determining it would but members and staff at too much risk giving rising case numbers in Washington, D.C.

The Senate is returning to work this week.

McCarthy, House Rules Committee ranking member Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and House Administration Committee ranking member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) published an op-ed on Monday laying out a plan to reopen Congress. 

The group of GOP lawmakers argued that lawmakers could gradually return to work though the use of social distancing, as well as wearing masks and other protective gear.